Alexa Bashaw is a mezzo-soprano, conductor and music educator based in Maryland. She earned her Bachelor of Music Education, magna cum laude, from Frostburg State University in 2017 where she studied conducting with Dr. James Reddan and voice with Dr. Mariana Mihai-Zoeter and Ms. Lawren Hill. During her time at university, she performed with the University Chorale, Chamber Singers, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and Guitar Ensemble under the leadership of Dr. Karen Soderberg-Sarnaker and Dr. James Reddan as well as serving as Choral Assistant to Dr. Reddan. In 2014, she toured Italy with the Chamber Singers performing in Perugia, Florence, and Rome. Ms. Bashaw was a member of the President's Leadership Circle, a select group of 12 seniors that had the opportunity to travel to Uganda to learn about international leadership. As a Leadership Circle member, she also met frequently with the University President to discuss student concerns and needs. She was a recipient of the Talent in the Arts Scholarship and Sloop Leadership Institute Scholarship.
Ms. Bashaw currently serves as the lead music teacher at Marley Middle School in Glen Burnie, Maryland where she has taught over 200 students annually in choir, guitar, and general music since 2017. She established the guitar program at Marley Middle in 2017, which now serves over 75 students annually and has earned scores of Superior at Festival events. Ms. Bashaw has managed the All-County Middle School Chorus and has rewritten the middle school guitar curriculum during her tenure with Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Since 2019, she has also served as a choral teacher for their Summer Music Camp, continuing the education of middle and high school students outside of the school year. Ms. Bashaw was the nominee for Marley Middle School selected by the Principal and Administration for Anne Arundel County Public Schools' Teacher of the Year award in 2023 and is currently pursuing her National Board Certification. She has presented on music education advocacy and inclusion in the performing ensemble at Maryland Music Educators State Conference and is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association and National Association for Music Education.
Ms. Bashaw is passionate about researching and performing unique, new choral works, as well as exposing her students and choirs to a variety of musical genres and traditions. She seeks out compositions by historically underrepresented groups such as female and BIPOC composers, and her choirs have performed folk music from the Philippines, Greece, Nigeria, and more. She was selected as a 2023 Conducting Fellow for the Atlanta Summer Conducting Institute, where she studied under Dr. Deanna Joseph and Dr. Daniel Bara, and was a 2016 Undergraduate Conducting Fellow at ACDA’s Voices United Conference under Charles Bruffy. Ms. Bashaw believes in the importance of being a lifelong learner and constantly working to improve your craft. In May 2023, Ms. Bashaw rehearsed and performed the United States premiere of "Come Back Like the Sea" by emerging Canadian composer Katerina Gimon with the Chesapeake Chorale. Ms. Bashaw has also previously conducted the Chorale in “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr and the Chamber Singers in “Still, Still, Still” by Norman Luboff.
She has been a member of the Chesapeake Chorale since 2017 and has served on the Executive Board as Secretary and Member- At-Large. Ms. Bashaw currently lives in Laurel with her fiancé, Dimitri, who can frequently be seen managing the box office and other “behind the scenes” needs at Chorale performances. She is excited and honored to make her debut as Assistant Artistic Director in the 2023-2024 season!
Ms. Bashaw currently serves as the lead music teacher at Marley Middle School in Glen Burnie, Maryland where she has taught over 200 students annually in choir, guitar, and general music since 2017. She established the guitar program at Marley Middle in 2017, which now serves over 75 students annually and has earned scores of Superior at Festival events. Ms. Bashaw has managed the All-County Middle School Chorus and has rewritten the middle school guitar curriculum during her tenure with Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Since 2019, she has also served as a choral teacher for their Summer Music Camp, continuing the education of middle and high school students outside of the school year. Ms. Bashaw was the nominee for Marley Middle School selected by the Principal and Administration for Anne Arundel County Public Schools' Teacher of the Year award in 2023 and is currently pursuing her National Board Certification. She has presented on music education advocacy and inclusion in the performing ensemble at Maryland Music Educators State Conference and is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association and National Association for Music Education.
Ms. Bashaw is passionate about researching and performing unique, new choral works, as well as exposing her students and choirs to a variety of musical genres and traditions. She seeks out compositions by historically underrepresented groups such as female and BIPOC composers, and her choirs have performed folk music from the Philippines, Greece, Nigeria, and more. She was selected as a 2023 Conducting Fellow for the Atlanta Summer Conducting Institute, where she studied under Dr. Deanna Joseph and Dr. Daniel Bara, and was a 2016 Undergraduate Conducting Fellow at ACDA’s Voices United Conference under Charles Bruffy. Ms. Bashaw believes in the importance of being a lifelong learner and constantly working to improve your craft. In May 2023, Ms. Bashaw rehearsed and performed the United States premiere of "Come Back Like the Sea" by emerging Canadian composer Katerina Gimon with the Chesapeake Chorale. Ms. Bashaw has also previously conducted the Chorale in “Grace Before Sleep” by Susan LaBarr and the Chamber Singers in “Still, Still, Still” by Norman Luboff.
She has been a member of the Chesapeake Chorale since 2017 and has served on the Executive Board as Secretary and Member- At-Large. Ms. Bashaw currently lives in Laurel with her fiancé, Dimitri, who can frequently be seen managing the box office and other “behind the scenes” needs at Chorale performances. She is excited and honored to make her debut as Assistant Artistic Director in the 2023-2024 season!
